The Blackwood Rotary Club is hosting a dinner meeting to give people the opportunity to quiz Iain Evans, recently retired member for Davenport, about is 20+ years in politics. It is open to everyone in the community.

The cost of the evening will be $25 (two course dinner and coffee/tea). Venue is the Belair Country Club. Bookings are essential – please contact Rotarian Jeff Hunter jpchunter16@bigpond.com or mobile 0433 149 977.

Come “Meet Your Candidates” for the
South Australian By-election in Davenport
at 7.30pm on Thursday January 29th here at BUC here in the hall.

This was an opportunity to meet, hear and question those who wish to represent you in State Parliament.

Dr Clem MacIntyre, of the Adelade University Politics Department, chaired the event as he has done for several earlier elections.

From the Churches on Mainstreet conference in September, “Altar to Agora: Church in Capital Mainstreet”.

The Rev Bruce Grindlay from St Andrews by the Sea UC has written on the matter in great detail and will be speaking about the topic on the night.

Santiago de Compostela, courtesy of SpainThisWay

28th June 2012

We heard the reflections of Australian geographer Dr Peter Smailes from his “Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela” in Spain.

Prof Mark Tester at Australian Plant Phenomics Facility

26th April 2012

Professor Mark Tester talked about The Challenge of Food Production!

Professor Tester works at the Waite Institute and is a leader in plant breeding. The global threat of famine, of equitable food distribution, of breeding plants for conditions such as climate change, and of breeding plants that produce more and are easier to reap, are crucial issues for this century as world population continues to increase.

29th September 2011

Dr Rene Pols explored “What Causes Mental Illness? Some Community issues”. Dr Pols, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Flinders University, trained in psychiatry and has researched and written widely on community health, the influence of drugs and alcohol, and the understanding and control of various mental disorders.

Asylum Seekers/Refugees: What is the difference? And who are they anyway?

Blackwood Uniting Church invited people to come in and hear a panel of speakers about who asylum seekers and refugees are, their stories, the realities of detention and its effects on their mental health and the government’s response to them. There was a question time & supper.

The panel consisted of:

Mr Kevin Liston, of Families SA, who works in their area of refugee families. He was formerly the Director of the A.R.A with many years experience. He tackled the question of the differences between refugees and asylum seekers, where they come from, how they get here, etc.

Ms Libby Hogarth –is a migration agent, currently working in C I Detention Centre. She discussed conditions in detention; some of the situations they have escaped from; the process of processing, and showed who these people are.

Mr Damien McInerney is a clinical psychologist for the SA Dept of Migrant Health. He discussed the effects of detention on the mental health of asylum seekers.

Hon. Senator Sarah Hanson-Young gave the government’s response to asylum seekers and refugees, and policy making in this area.